In
Search of Egypt
Ancient Treasures
A
21- Day Private Tour of Egypt - Leave USA any day ( subject to availability
) . Year Round
You
choose your travel date: Private Egyptologist. Private Air-Conditioned
Vehicle . Private Chauffeur Even for the Nile Cruise Shore Excursions
Honeymoon or Anniversary on the Nile
Egypt
in Depth : Cairo , Alexandria , Abu Simbel, the Highlights of Upper
Egypt , Nubia , an 8 day Breath-taking Nile Cruise , Dendera , Abydos
and even Minya to tour Nefertiti's Capital of Tel Al-Amarna .
See the Pyramids,the Sphinx, Alexandria , the timeless temples along
the Nile in Luxury fit for a Pharaoh. Tour starts weekly in Cairo year
round. How would you like to cruise the Nile the way the Pharaoh & Cleopatra
did ? These graceful boats will allow you to cruise the great river
in a stately Pharaonic style. Our Egyptian adventure" cruise visits
Cairo, all of Upper Egypt's top sights, and gives you the chance to
see the Ancient city of Alexander the Great , the timeless Nile as adventurers
have seen it throughout the ages. Dendera Abydos , and more treasures
Suggested
Itinerary:
DAY
1 - DEPARTURE ( Daily)
Leave any day ( Subject to availability of air space & Nile cruise)
, we take off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport,
bound for Cairo in economy class.
Round-trip
transatlantic airfare, including air taxes, from New York to Cairo and
return on : British Airways, Air France, Swiss , Lufthansa or another
IATAN airline, subject to seat availability at the time of reservation.
Business class upgrade is only available on Egyptair, Turkish Airlines
and Olympic Airways. If you prefer to fly NON STOP JFK CAIRO
JFK, then its Egyptair.
For West Coast passengers: Add -On : $ 350 for most major cities : SFO
,LAX, SAN, SEA etc.
Non-stop to Europe, one connection and off to Cairo .
DAY
2 - CAIRO - Daily ( subject to cruise schedule and availability)
Upon
arrival, we escort you to your comfortable hotel . Complimentary visa
is issued upon arrival for the following nationalities; American, EU
, Canadian & Japanese, your passport must be valid and in order.
Visa
will be issued upon arrival.
As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two , down some
stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes , until you pass the duty free shops,
at the end of a wide corridor , you will see the security officers.
There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding
a sign with the name you prefer to use for the sign .
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp
from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport
officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport
as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist
you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs . After exiting
the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle)
to the hotel :
Private
air condition car for your transfer. Private
chauffeur
Hotel in Cairo ( or similar) : Four Seasons : Superior room , Grand
Hyatt club level room, or the Mena House Palace wing / Pyramid's view
( you may mix & match Cairo stay ),
J. W. Marriott or similar
DAY
3 - GIZA (cBL)
After
breakfast, we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx
and the Pyramids of Giza. The
museum of the Royal Barge of Cheops The museum is built over the rectangular
pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years , the wooden
boat was readied for the king's daily journey with the sun god, Ra .
Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot)
cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of
Ancient Egypt.
Those
who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart
of the Great Pyramid, to the King's Chamber your ticket is included
with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking
a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice!
Continue
to Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We
visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structure:
The "Discovery" of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the
desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits
to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were
many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru,
father of Cheops. Senfru's pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son
built Giza's Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly
on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at
one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru's--miraculously--is
still in place.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant or at your hotel.
In the evening we return to Giza Plateau for the Sound & Light Show.
DAY
4 - CAIRO (cBL)
Today we see Cairo's
major sights: the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummies Room,
The Manial Royal Palace, former residence of Egypt's last crown prince
and the Nilometer.
Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon tour Saladin's Citadel,
the Alabaster Mosque,and the 12th Century Khan El Khalili Bazaar district
Complimentary
Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals,
you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (
T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This
evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right
into the homes of some of the people of Cairo ! You'll be invited to
a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties,
you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way
of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your
new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background.
Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that
you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may
enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know
your preferences.
DAY
5 - LUXOR /Denderah and Abydos Temples (cBLD)
Early morning breakfast in Cairo , then head for the airport for your
morning flight to Luxor , from the airport proceed inland to Dendera
and Abydos Temples:
Lunch box is included and prepared by your hotel ( including a
bottle of water ).
Off to explore the treasure of Ancient Egypt, we drive inland
to tour Denderah & Abydos Temples. Among the best preserved in Egypt.
This temple as a sight to hold. Indiana Jones would have felt at home,
with the massive stones & underground passages :
DENDERAH
IN A DAY
We'll
travel to Denderah to visit the Temple of Hathor, one of the best-preserved
in all of Egypt, and also one of the most important. In the ancient
beliefs, Hathor was the consort of the god of daylight, ruler of the
west, and protector or the underworld. In the manner of wise desert
wayfarers, we'll leave before dawn to take advantage of cool temperatures.
Our air-conditioned van will take us through timeless Nile-side villages,
where life revolves around the irrigation and harvest of crops. Finally,
we'll reach the temple precincts. We'll take note of the unusually deep
tombs, and pass under the celebrated Zodiac, in a chapel dedicated to
Osiris. (Denderah is the traditional site of his rebirth.) Our full
day will also include a visit to Abydos, traditional home of Osiris,
god of the underworld, and a stopping point on the journey of wayfaring
souls. We'll enjoy a box lunch, and return to Luxor late in the afternoon
.
Hotel : Old Winter Palace Hotel Nile View Room ( subject to availability)
.
DAY
6 - LUXOR - Deir El Medina - Medinet Habu (cBD)
Breakfast
is included at your hotel.
Morning tour of the small yet most charming Luxor Museum .
On
to
tour of Deir El Medinah, the first known "Workers Village"
these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs
for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.
Morning
tour of Deir El Medinah, the first known "Workers
Village" these were the true creative heroes who built the temples
& tombs for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.
Deir
El Medinah is on Luxor's west bank you get a totally different perspective
on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers' settlement of Deir
el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of
Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives
us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed
and decorated the tombs.
Here
we'll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic
animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized
rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt
might not have been a workers' paradise, we'll see that artisans and
builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be
the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement
in its tour and cruise programs.
We'll include also Medinet Habu and the Ramesseum. Return to your hotel
. Remainder
of the day at leisure.
DAY 7 - LUXOR - Nile Cruise (cBLD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we tour the Valley of the Kings, including
King Tut's tomb, Valley of the Queens, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple
and the Colossi of Memnon. Return to the Nile to check-in on
board your cruise. Complimentary
welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. Evening Sound & Light
show at Karnak Temple.
DAY
8 - Esna Locks- On Board your Nile Cruise(cBLD)
Enjoy a grand day of sailing. We pass through Esna locks , on to Edfu
where we dock for the night.
DAY
9 - EDFU & ASWAN - On Board your Nile Cruise (cBLD)
In Edfu, we board horse-drawn carriages for the ride to the Temple
of Horus. The best preserved temple in Egypt. Returning to our ship,
we set sail for Aswan .Complimentary Galabya , you may wish to try on
for the evening when there's a jolly galabia party aboard.
DAY
10 -ASWAN - & Abu Simbel (BLD)
Get ready
for the tour of Aswan Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple
: board a motor launch to visit the
Island temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :
The
Mystery of Isis
Two
millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery
of Isis:
"I,
Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath
ever seen me unveiled."
Called
Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean
tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess
from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.
Isis
was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun
God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and
Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was
also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction
of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!
Because
of her wisdom and skill at protection, she was admired as a good magician
capable of healing the sick and protecting the dead in their journey
to the Underworld.
before
we head back for our lunch aboard. In the afternoon we board a graceful
felucca and cruise among the islands of the Nile.
Abu
Simbel: By Air Aswan / Abu Simbel / Aswan
Depending on flight confirmation your Abu Simbel flights may be a morning
or an afternoon one :
Abu Simbel may be considered the highlight of your Egyptian adventure.
Fly south over Lake Nasser.
Your private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private
Egyptologist will be waiting for you in Abu Simbel.
Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel:
All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy
and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that
time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient Pharaonic temple
threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam.It’s
worth remembering that it was Jacquie Kennedy who provided crucial support
for the mammoth rescue project. Without her help, Abu Simbel might have
been lost.Read More.
In Abu Simbel the larger temple dedicated to Ramses the Great ,
colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by
his queen and daughters.
The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears
as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the
benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple admiring their ancient
aura and artistry, after which we fly back to Aswan
Airport and your Nile Cruise.
DAY
11 - KOM OMBO (BLD)
Morning at leisure or join us for an optional tour to Abu Simbel by
plane.
In
the afternoon we sail for Kom Ombo. Where we dock for the night.
DAY
12 - KOM OMBO (BLD)
We explore the twin Temples of Haroeris , the Sun God, and Sobek , the
Crocodile God, at Kom Ombo, . Returning to our ship in time for
tea. We set sail for Luxor.
DAY
13 - LUXOR (BLD)
After breakfast, on to the Gigantic Temple of Karnak & the great
temple of Luxor are our goal this morning , after lunch we see
the most recent discoveries housed in the relatively new & charming
Luxor Museum. Return
to our Nile cruiser in time for afternoon tea
DAY
14- LUXOR/ CAIRO
/ Alexandria (BL)
After breakfast, we check out, and our flight back to Cairo , at the
airport in Cairo proceed by private air-conditioned vehicle to Alexandria;
lunch is included
enroute
. In Alexandria , check-in: the deluxe Palestine Montazah Hotel, over
looking the Mediterranean. In the evening we head for a leisurely walk
through the down town and maybe a cup of tea at one of the street cafes.
.
DAY
15 - Alexandria (cBL)
Full day tour of the Greco-Roman Catacombs, the Roman Amphitheater,
Qayet Bey Fortress
built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world : the famous
Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at " El Selsela" the
site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered,
as well as Caesar Kiosk. Lunch at a local restaurant.
On to the New Library of Alexandria before we head back to your hotel.
The
New Alexandria Library
DAY
16 - Alexandria & Wadi El Natroun Monasteries / Cairo (cBL)
After
breakfast , we 'll visit the museum in Alexandria , the building was
originally built in 1926 for the US consulate in Alexandria and is a
masterpiece in 1920's architecture & Mediterranean style buildings
, the USA sold the building at a token price to the Egyptian state to
turn into a museum , then its off to the desert highway , heading south
for Cairo , we'll stop at Wadi El Natroun monastery almost midway to
Cairo , where early Coptic Christians retreated here to escape the Roman
persecution in the 4th century AD. The Egyptian Pope of Alexandria is
always chosen from the Monks of wadi El Natroun. Reach Cairo early evening
and your hotel.
 |
Octavious
visiting Alexander the Great's Tomb in Alexandria just after he
defeated Cleopatra & Marc Anthony. He left his coat as a token
of respect to Alexander the Great. The search continues for Alexander
the Great's Tomb. |
DAY
17 - Cairo (cB)
Full day at leisure, enjoy a day of relaxation.
DAY
18 - CAIRO (cBL)
The Culture of Cairo
Today
we’ll explore deep into the heart of Cairo, and get to know its
daily rhythms, its spirituality, its history, and its modern diversions.
We’ll start early, with a visit to a local market, with an immense
variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables on offer, both familiar and
exotic.
You’ll
see that shopping in Cairo goes far beyond a supermarket experience.
Be prepared for whispers, gestures, shouting, and controlled chaos.
It’s all part of the bargaining process, engaged in by women in
traditional modest garb as well as others in Western dress.
Then
it’s on to the Museum of Islamic Art, with its tapestries, textiles,
swords and other objects exemplifying one of the world’s great
decorative traditions. We’ll continue to the Gayer-Anderson House,
a serene and classic domestic oasis, right down to its central fountain
and exquisite furnishings. Our visit is also a journey into a vanished
way of life—the residence is actually two traditional medieval
Cairo houses restored by an English physician to a former king. We’ll
stop for lunch at a restaurant where Cairenes go, then visit the Bab
an-Nasr, the Gate of Victory in Cairo’s old walls. You’ll
even see graffiti that survives from soldiers of Napoleon and of the
British Empire, among the many who passed this way.
DAY
19 - CAIRO - El Minya (cBLD)
After breakfast we head to Cairo railway station to board the train
for El-Minya about 245 kilometers south of Cairo ( 3-4 hours ride ),
yet depending on the season , we may use an air conditioned vehicle.
For Egyptians this provincial capital marks the divide between Upper
and Lower Egypt.
This is a special tour to the capital of Nefertiti and Akhnaton kingdom
. When they had their bloodless religious revolution , to escape from
the ever growing power of the church - then of the might Amon-Ra.
Lunch box will be included from Cairo , with bottled water.
Upon arrival we proceed to tour Beni Hassan ( 20 Kilometers south of
Minya ) to tour the ancient tombs necropolis , with an commanding view,
a superb location overlooking the Nile Valley and the Nile River.
The
tombs are cut into the cliffs , the tombs mostly date from the 11th
and 12th dynasties about 2000 years BC. Most of the tombs are unfinished.
When Akhnaton died, the whole capital moved back again to Luxor, and
the old powerful grip of Amon-Ra Chief god priests, declared Akhnaton
a heretic. And all the work on the tombs in Beni Hassan was abandoned.
We cant guarantee which tomb will be open on any given day , but samples
include tombs of Kheti and Amenemhat, then wonder among the desolate
ruins of Tel El Amarana the Ancient Capital of the self exiled Pharaoh
Akhnaton and his queen : Nefertiti.
Dinner and overnight at 3 stars modest hotel ( there is no 4 or 5 stars
accommodation in El Minya). Private touring as usual.
Depending
on your comfort level , driving condition , traffic etc, we may have
to tour Tuna El Gabal Necropolis tomorrow
Nefertiti
Turns Egypt Upside Down!!
The
first bloodless religious revolution against the established church
in Ancient Egypt
And the seat of power that rested with the priests in Karnak
DAY
20 - El Minya - Cairo (cBLD)
Depending
on your comfort level , driving condition , traffic etc, we may tour
Tuna El Gabal Necropolis yesterday or today. Before we head back to
Cairo by train or private air conditioned vehicle. Dinner is included
back in Cairo at Sonesta or J. W. Marriott
DAY
21 - Departure (cB)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon
Voyage
RATES
per person, in deluxe accommodations, in US$: FROM JFK
| Hotel
Accommodation |
Superior
Hotel Room |
| Cruise
Accommodation |
Outside
Cabin |
|
Sharing in Triple occupancy |
US$
6891.00 |
|
Double occupancy |
US$
7015.00 |
| Single
occupancy |
US$ 8540.00 |
Dec
20 - Jan 5 & Easter Weeks: Please add 20 % holiday supplement.
AIRFARE
NOTES:
- Fly
from other cities: San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle-Tacoma,
Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth for an additional $350
- Fly
from Chicago or Washington, DC's Dulles International Airport, for
an additional $250.
-
In addition, for any departures from May - Sep , please add
$350 high-season airfare
surcharge to the rates shown above.
Deluxe
Hotels & Cruise - RATES per person in USD $
Sample
of the Deluxe Nile Cruise :
YOUR TOUR INCLUDES :
- Air
fare in economy class New York-Cairo-New York, including tax .
Round-trip
transatlantic airfare, including air taxes, from New York to Cairo
and return on British Airways, Air France, Swiss , Lufthansa or
another IATAN airline, subject to seat availability at the time
of reservation.
-
Egyptian domestic airfares as described in the itinerary in "
C " business class , subject to
availability at the time of booking
- All
airport transfers are on a private basis in Egypt. Always on a private
basis, private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
- Hotel
accommodations , always ultra deluxe, and best available in small
towns such Minya ( 3 stars) , including taxes.
- Pre
set-menu (table d'hôte) meals as indicated in the itinerary
above.
-
Deluxe Nile cruise , with all shore excursions and meals .
- Complimentary
welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
- Complimentary
welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
- Large
bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while
you are on board the Nile Cruise.
- Tea
or coffee and bottled water with each / every meal while you are on
board the Nile Cruise.
-
Top Professional private : Guide/Egyptologist , even for your Nile
cruise shore excursions
- Private
guided sightseeing by air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur
, even for your Nile cruise shore excursions , including all admissions
fees.
- Visa
fee issued upon arrival for EU , American, Australian, NZ, Singaporean
& Japanese citizens, passport must be valid for at least 6 month
beyond the date of arrival.
- Abu
Simbel Excursion by air.
Not
included :
Other
choices:
Honeymoon
at the Cairo Four Seasons:
Four Seasons defines the essence of a superb honeymoon. As a destination
setting, for just you two, or your whole party, we make weddings and
honeymoons seamless and inspiring. For your first night, we offer a
retreat of peace and comfort - with a smooth start for your trip to
another Four Seasons honeymoon setting. Or for your honeymoon
with us, we can help you craft every unforgettable detail.
Special photo for your honeymoon in Cairo at the Four Seasons :
Our talented in-house Pastry Chef can create a beautiful customized
special cake in the favor of your preference to enjoy the cake an d
a special candlelit dinner , we'll have a photographer at your disposal
for 30 minutes to take some photos for your honeymoon album .
If you have a photograph of a special cake you prefer , please e.mail
it to us as JPG, or include in your e.mail message, , we will be happy
to try to prepare that cake for you.
Nefertiti
Turns Egypt Upside Down!!
The
first bloodless religious revolution against the established church
in Ancient Egypt
And the seat of power that rested with the priests in Karnak
Nefertiti
Turns Egypt Upside Down!! 1350 BC - Queen Nefertiti is reported to
have led her Egyptian subjects on a wild spree of idol-smashing, temple-destruction,
and forced migration, all part of a campaign of religious reformation.
"From
now on, there will be only one Deity, and that Deity is Aten, the
Sun Disc," she has commanded.
Reliable
sources in the Nile Valley report that all temples to gods other than
Aten have been closed, and that a hefty fine will be imposed on anyone
caught with an outlawed statuette.
Idols
are to be smashed immediately, and the shards turned over to the priests
of Aten.
"The
capital of Egypt will now be at Tel El Amarna," reads a decree widely
circulated in cuneiform on clay tablets.
"All priests are to settle within one hour's journey of the new Temple
to Aten. All bidders on public works contracts will likewise have
their head offices within the same specified distance."
Egyptian
leaders in exile have disputed the motives behind the upheaval. "It's
just a ploy to concentrate power and wealth in her hands and those
of her husband, Ikhnaton," stated one defrocked priest.
"Everybody knows that Nefertiti has risen to her position on qualities
that have nothing to do with religion.
She
isn't called Incarnation of Beauty for nothing," he added, referring
to the literal meaning of her name. The source asked not to be identified,
fearing reprisals. Tel El Amarna, Nile Valley, 2004 - from Paul Glassman,
special correspondent "Wow," commented Joe Shiner, an agro-businesman
from Des Moines, as he toured the main temple at Tel El Amarna. "It's
one thing to hear that Nefertiti was a real beauty. But it's quite
another to visit in person and learn the real story." "Until I came
here, I didn't know that she was behind the idea of having only one
god-even before the Hebrews and Christians and followers of Mohammed.
"And
now that I see her picture, I can understand why people followed her.
This is not what I expected . . . not at all!" Mr. Shiner gestured
as he spoke to a temple painting of a well-endowed Nefertiti in a
chariot, wearing only a see-through cloak and thong-style panties.
"If
she was my queen, I'd follow her to the end of the . . . "
Mr. Shiner's comments were interrupted by the approach of his wife.
Disclaimer:
The facts presented are as accurate as can be ascertained from the
archeological record. Mr. Joe Shiner is a composite of the satisfied
clients of Travel in Style.
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